Westin Lagunamar not honoring timestamps?

[maph]

We checked in to the Westin Lagunamar last night using our owned week, got to the resort about 8 pm because of a flight delay and major luggage wait.

I made our reservation at the stroke of midnight Orlando time exactly 12 months out and requested a high floor and repeated the request when the resort sent out a 'requests' email a couple of weeks ago. When we go here we were given a room on the 3rd floor, partly blocked by palm trees. When I asked at the check-in desk why we weren't given a high floor given that I should have had an excellent timestamp, the room assignment manager said that Lagunamar doesn't look at the reservation timestamp and to the best of her knowledge never has.

I told her that I was pretty sure that the timestamp priority for requests was written into the title documents for the week but she insisted that wasn't true and that nobody in the three years that she'd been doing room assignments had raised the point.

Has anyone else encountered this? I've been coming here every 2 years since we bought the week about 10 years ago and have up until now always been given a high floor as I've requested. Is this something new, maybe Marriott trying to do away with the hassle of managing timestamp priority?

I'm a Chairman's club member, not that is seems to matter.

 

[divenski]

Does your reservation confirmation say what the policy is or should be? Has it changed over the years? The ones I get for Westin Maui typically mention the timestamp approach, but the info is in the fine print.

 

[maph]

No, there isn't anything in the confirmation email that I can see. It was sent to me at 12:01 AM, Nov 8, 2024 for a check-in date of Nov 8, 2025.

 

[davidvel]

"I told her that I was pretty sure that the timestamp priority for requests was written into the title documents..."

So what does pretty sure mean? It either is there or it is not. Show us where it says this or it is all a moot point.

 

[maph]

Wow, what a helpful reply. I guess I'm just not clever enough to carry my title documents around with me whenever I go on vacation.

 

[DeniseM]

You cannot expect an honest answer from the front desk - they will say anything to justify the placement they gave you.

 

[davidvel]

Wow, what a helpful reply. I guess I'm just not clever enough to carry my title documents around with me whenever I go on vacation.

Convenient way to sidestep the question.

You are the one that introduced doubt into your story when you said "pretty sure." It is a significant point in your claim that they are "not honoring timestamps." The clause is either in there or not, whether you have your "title documents" with you or not. So is it? Or did you make this claim to the agent without basis?

 

[daviator]

I am not aware that the timestamp priority is in the title documents at any of the Vistana properties. It is merely the methodology they have traditionally used at most of them for room assignment. I think they could change that methodology at any time if they wanted to, and it's possible that Lagunamar has never done things that way.

If you can find it in the documents and prove me wrong, I'll happily stand corrected. But I think the timestamp thing is a longtime practice but not a guarantee of any sort.

 

[DeniseM]

I had a Westin Ka'anapali Renter who had an Oceanfront confirmation, and the front desk told her that it wasn't guaranteed and gave her an Ocean View room. Instead of contacting me immediately, the renter meekly accepted the downgrade, and then was mad at ME! After the rental, when I told her she should have insisted on the view on her confirmation, she said, "Why didn't your tell me that?"

 

[daviator]

I had a Westin Ka'anapali Renter who had an Oceanfront confirmation, and the front desk told her that it wasn't guaranteed and gave her an Ocean View room. Instead of contacting me immediately, the renter meekly accepted the downgrade, and then was mad at ME! After the rental, when I told her she should have insisted on the view on her confirmation, she said, "Why didn't your tell me that?"

While I empathize with your frustration, that's a completely different issue. View category IS guaranteed and the resort has no right to downgrade someone. Of course, it's ridiculous that you should have to press them to get what should be provided in the first place.

But room position within the view category is not guaranteed. I do think the Vistana system where they generally use timestamp to set room position priority is a good one that's as fair as I can think of. I guess my question for Lagunamar would be, if you don't use timestamp, what DO you use to determine priority?

 

[jp10558]

While I empathize with your frustration, that's a completely different issue. View category IS guaranteed and the resort has no right to downgrade someone. Of course, it's ridiculous that you should have to press them to get what should be provided in the first place.

But room position within the view category is not guaranteed. I do think the Vistana system where they generally use timestamp to set room position priority is a good one that's as fair as I can think of. I guess my question for Lagunamar would be, if you don't use timestamp, what DO you use to determine priority?

I thought they usually used check in time, basically you get whatever they can when you check in. Though I've also seen requests work for me at MVC on exchanges (was surprised, but I guess if not busy MVC seemed to give you what you ask for) or using points via HGVC.

 

[WorldT]

I thought they usually used check in time, basically you get whatever they can when you check in. Though I've also seen requests work for me at MVC on exchanges (was surprised, but I guess if not busy MVC seemed to give you what you ask for) or using points via HGVC.

If they used check in time, then they wouldn't send an email prior to your arrival to ask your preference. No?

 

[DeniseM]

While I empathize with your frustration, that's a completely different issue.

You missed my point - I'm not talking about the process, I'm talking about depending on the front desk for factual Info. It's like depending on a TS sales person for factual info.

 

[cubigbird]

We've gone to Westin Lagunamar every year for more than a decade, sometimes multiple times and have put in a. request every single time. I have never been aware of any timestamp approach. I do know they they factor in owner status - elite status vs exchanger vs non-owner renter etc to determine priority. It's generally a best practice to put the request into the pre arrival email. The concierge does not have any influence but they can forward it. I also call and speak directly to the front desk about 5 days or so prior to check in. It's all in who you talk to. Given that approach, we have never had our request not honored.

 

[daviator]

You missed my point - I'm not talking about the process, I'm talking about depending on the front desk for factual Info. It's like depending on a TS sales person for factual info.

Oh, yes, I agree with you completely on that. The front desk person probably doesn’t even know the right answer, and it seems like people these days (much like AI chat bots) would often rather make up an answer than tell you they don’t know.

 

[daviator]

We've gone to Westin Lagunamar every year for more than a decade, sometimes multiple times and have put in a. request every single time. I have never been aware of any timestamp approach. I do know they they factor in owner status - elite status vs exchanger vs non-owner renter etc to determine priority. It's generally a best practice to put the request into the pre arrival email. The concierge does not have any influence but they can forward it. I also call and speak directly to the front desk about 5 days or so prior to check in. It's all in who you talk to. Given that approach, we have never had our request not honored.

That would make Lagunamar the only Vistana property that I’m aware of which uses elite status as a factor in determining room location. At most of the properties it’s 100% time stamp.

It’s my understanding that most or all of the Marriott-branded properties use different factors, including elite status, and don’t use timestamp. I don’t know why Lagunamar is an outlier on the Vistana side.

 

[MarineBlue]

I don't complete the 'request' section in the email that is sent a couple of weeks ahead of arrival. These types of emails are relatively new in the past couple of years, I believe. I reiterate my room request in the Special Request section of our online reservation (if you go into your reservation, the box is blank, even if you initially filled it out at the stroke of midnight; or at least it is on mine). I had a resort front desk tell me that those emails are from a third-party. I wonder if one replies to this type of email that it 'muddles' your original request and/or time stamp (if such a thing exists anymore)? Who knows.

 

[maph]

I've managed to get ahold of the governing documents for WKORN, all 709 pages worth. Way, way down on page 553 is the 'Vistana Signature Network Disclosure Guide' which lays out the rules for the vacation club. On page 572 is 'Section 4.6 Confirmations; Accommodation Preferences'. Here is what it says;

Confirmations will be provided to the Primary Contact for each Network Member by Owner Services to confirm all reservations. Except for Owners who have a right to receive a reservation for a specific Unit, Owner Services will not assign a specific Unit until the time of check-in. Special Unit assignments, such as ground level Units, cannot be guaranteed, but will be noted as a preference in the reservation system. Accommodation preference requests will be taken no sooner than at the beginning of the Home Resort Reservation Period and will be honored, subject to availability, in the order received.

That's not quite the same as the timestamp, but if you put the request in at the time the reservation is made it amounts to the same thing. Since this is a Vistana Network rule and not specific to the Westin Kaanapali I'm pretty sure that it applies equally to Lagunamar.

 

[dioxide45]

I do think the Vistana system where they generally use timestamp to set room position priority is a good one that's as fair as I can think of. I guess my question for Lagunamar would be, if you don't use timestamp, what DO you use to determine priority?

My only issue with timestamp is that it is almost like a lottery. With hundreds of people trying to book at midnight 12 months in advance, timestamps can be separated by hundredths of a second. Then you have system issues, freezes and everything in between. If it is mainly owners reserving year over year, a better method may be rotational. Those who had a fantastic villa placement last year get an average one this year and a less desirable the year after, then it starts all over again. This method may be best when all units are booked within just a few minutes of the reservation window opening.

 

[dioxide45]

That would make Lagunamar the only Vistana property that I’m aware of which uses elite status as a factor in determining room location. At most of the properties it’s 100% time stamp.

It’s my understanding that most or all of the Marriott-branded properties use different factors, including elite status, and don’t use timestamp. I don’t know why Lagunamar is an outlier on the Vistana side.

I am not aware of resorts using elite status. Mostly owner vs exchanger vs cash renter. Marriott has some other things like multi-week reservations and such. If you're there for 5 weeks you get preference over someone coming just for one week.

 

[jabberwocky]

I do think WKORVN uses timestamp. Our last two home resort stays (EOY) have been booked at exactly midnight one year before for the 4th of July week. Each time we’ve gotten our OF placement on the top floor of building 8 (same unit) - probably the best view there is at North.

It’s also our anniversary week and we have two birthdays to celebrate, so I usually note this in the requests section when we make the reservation. That may help a little. Both times the front desk has commented that we just have been first to reserve.

At Lagunamar we’ve had different experiences. We don’t own there, but have made SO reservations. Spring break in 2023 we booked Oceanside right at 8 months and got the second from the top floor in building 1. The following year we got ground floor Oceanside in building 14. I know it was coming out of Covid in 2023 - but I would have thought an owner would be booking Oceanside well before the 8 month mark and gotten a high room, so I don’t think Lagunamar is using timestamps.

 

[YYJMSP]

I do think WKORVN uses timestamp. Our last two home resort stays (EOY) have been booked at exactly midnight one year before for the 4th of July week. Each time we’ve gotten our OF placement on the top floor of building 8 (same unit) - probably the best view there is at North.

It’s also our anniversary week and we have two birthdays to celebrate, so I usually note this in the requests section when we make the reservation. That may help a little. Both times the front desk has commented that we just have been first to reserve.

We had a different experience at WKORV recently. After a long series of discussions over multiple days up the room allocation food chain, it sounds like your "special request" *may* trump someone else's slightly better timestamp.

In our case, the request for "high floor, etc" was missed due to a combination of technical and people errors, and we were assigned an unexpected room even though our timestamp was better.

The explanation was the special requests are filled first, then those without special requests, in bunches of similar timestamps. The absolute order by timestamp isn't followed

 

[chinh9]

That would make Lagunamar the only Vistana property that I’m aware of which uses elite status as a factor in determining room location. At most of the properties it’s 100% time stamp.

It’s my understanding that most or all of the Marriott-branded properties use different factors, including elite status, and don’t use timestamp. I don’t know why Lagunamar is an outlier on the Vistana side.

I think he said he was Chairman level so that would be bad if he were chairman AND had a great timestamp. So basically it was a miss by room assignments and they couldn't fix it? We are looking to reserve Lagunamar at the 8 month SO window for February - hoping something will be available. My timestamp will be way worse than the 12 monthers so I will update this thread come time.

 

[byeloe]

Timestamp is not used at Lagunamar, but I would say multi week bookings do get some priority as we stay 7 to 10 weeks in the winter and have almost always received our requested location

 

[rickandcindy23]

I always request an upper floor.

We had bottom floor once, but it was a new resale purchase, so no surprise there because it closed in August, and the reservation was February. Locking it off happened to be too late to get any better view, but it was fine.